The present invention is directed to an improved zero insertion force socket and method therefor.
To determine if a semiconductor device will perform the desired functions with the desired degree of accuracy, a temporary electrical connection is desired between each of the pin leads of the semiconductor device and a testing device. The more complex of semiconductor devices may have as many as 100 pins.
With a greater number of pin leads it is more difficult to provide such temporary electrical connection. There are two problems: the greater insertion-extraction force and increased "cross-talk", or electromagnetic coupling due to the necessarily greater density of the pin leads.
Sockets have been provided, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,459, which provide a low insertion-force. However these sockets failed to provide any means to shield against "cross-talk". In addition there was no specific provision for minimizing the length of the leads from the socket to the actual sensing units of the testing device in order to prevent both additional cross-talk, and other problems associated with the transit time of high frequency signals over the lead length.